"Nazi Summer Camp" by RADIOLAB; or, The Greatest Generation

In this sobering age of killing sprees, racial tension, and the many-headed hydra that is the war on terror, it's so easy to feel weighed down. Humanity fights like a house divided, a Shakespearean tragedy barreling its way toward its inevitable, disastrous end. Depressing, no? 

I've been fighting that sense for a while now, and I can feel it slowly taking hold, depressing my outlook, but that doesn't mean there aren't bright patches to counter the hum-drum. A story I heard over the weekend, for example.

I drive often between Nashville and Winston-Salem, NC, and what fills most of that time for me is podcasts (which I've previously blogged *read:gushed* about here). I recently subscribed to a new one called the Radiolab--the 3rd most popular cast on the internet, according to iTunes--and the first episode I chose was one entitled Nazi Summer Camp.

I'm glad I did. It's the story of the nearly HALF MILLION Nazi, Italian, and Japanese Prisoners of War kept on American soil during WWII, and though that tagline may sound ominous, the truth is anything but. As it turns out, the "Greatest Generation" wasn't just great because they volunteered in droves to fight for freedom, donuts, and the American Way; they were great because they had every right to fight fire with fire, to give into their baser instincts, their pettiness, their justifiable (or not) hatreds, but instead they chose to hold themselves to an ideal of decency and compassion.

Long story short? They treated their enemies well, and continued to do so, though their enemies chose not to return the favor.

Please listen to the podcast, if you're needing a pick-me-up. It's only 30 minutes, and well worth your time. I've included the link both above and below.

http://www.radiolab.org/story/nazi-summer-camp/

And if you'd like more podcast recommendations, just ask! I actually listen to way too many.

TG

On Podcasts

I've found my new thing that I'll be really into for a while.

I've got to thank my brother for this one. I'm a visual learner (my excuse for mediocre grades on all my Spanish listening exams), and usually have a tough time concentrating on and engaging with aural media, but early this spring he suggested I try a podcast out for one of my frequent 7 hour drives between Nashville and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and I've been hooked ever since.

I'd always struggled to stave off the boredom during the marathon trips, but podcasts proved to be the perfect solution. No hunting for a good local radio station, no droning monotone of a book on tape, just interesting people talking about interesting things for a couple hours at a time. You can find a podcast for just about anything you're interested in, but I find the podcasts of comedians the most entertaining. Turns out funny people can be funny all the time, talking about anything, not just when their reciting a script or performing a stand up.
I started out with the Joe Rogan Experience, 1) because his podcasts are 3 hours apiece, 2) he consistently brings on very interesting and insightful guests, and 3) because it's the only one I knew about. It was a good choice. Joe Rogan is the perfect mix of entertainer and pseudo-intellectual to keep an audience engaged, laughing and thinking, for the full 3 hours. Turns out he's the 2nd most popular podcast in the world for a reason. And maybe the best part was that many of his guests had podcast of their own, and my tastes quickly expanded out from the JRE.

My podcast consumption is now what one might call "next level." Enabled by the aforementioned frequent road trips, I diversified my listening experience to include such auditory gems as Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast, Fighter and the Kid with Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen, and several Grantland podcasts including the Andy Greenwald podcast and my personal favorite, Men in Blazers. The podcast, more than anywhere else, is a medium perfectly suited for showcasing great personalities, and all long as people continue to support these personalities, the entertainment potential is potentially limitless.

There are podcast streaming and downloading apps available for both the iPhone and Android. I use the aptly named Podcast Addict. Try it out. You'll either like it or you won't, but it's free and it's different, and did I mention it's free?

Thomas out.